Evan Crowley, better known for his pseudonym, Saint Loretto, just released his second single, ‘Aisles’ from his upcoming album PASSAGE/S. This indie pop artist has been creating and performing music since his early teens; arranging, performing and engineering nearly all instruments heard in his recordings. ‘Aisles’ is a track that may seem to be a blissful, carefree pop anthem, but a closer look reveals the personal anguish within the lyrics. Crowley said himself that, “I have always battled with mental illness, but music saved me”, and this song is a remarkable example of how he has managed to turn emotional pain into something so joyous.
Drawing inspiration from The Cure and The 1975, this track triggers flashbacks of shoulder-pads and perms. With layered, melodic guitar, echoing backing vocals, upbeat rhythm and an insanely catchy vocal top- line; it’s hard not to want to get up and dance. It pushes you away, then drags you back into the chorus with smooth transitions between equally addictive parts, including an especially satisfying breakdown, which brings back lo-fi speech elements used in the intro. Wrapped in delicate, glowing synths; ‘Aisles’ is a retro-inspired, indie-pop anthem that tells the story of heartbreak hidden beneath an energetic, jubilant sound. With verses that awaken long-lost memories of ‘Dancing in The Dark’ and a chorus that sticks in your brain seemingly forever, this song can already be considered a classic ‘throwback’ summer anthem.
